Parmigiano Reggiano - European Score 100/100

European Score analysis

Supervalu's Parmigiano Reggiano earns a European Score of 100 and places at the 58th percentile within the parmigiano reggiano category, outscoring 58% of the 45 products assessed there. The breakdown shows company headquarters and manufacturing each contributing 35 points, with manufacturing in Italy and origin declared as Italy — the only country legally permitted to produce authentic Parmigiano Reggiano under EU Protected Designation of Origin rules. Distribution adds 15 points and certifications contribute 5, reflecting the PDO status that is intrinsic to this cheese.

The proximity score, however, sits at 0 rather than the 5 seen in most other products in this batch. This reflects the fact that the product is sold in Ireland, making Italy a relatively distant manufacturing country from the consumer's location — a genuine supply chain length that the scoring framework penalises modestly. For a European-minded shopper, the PDO certification is the defining quality assurance: it guarantees Italian origin and production method by law. The 58th percentile position in the parmigiano reggiano category suggests that, despite the maximum overall score, some competing products manage a slightly different profile that places them higher. The proximity gap is the distinguishing factor and the honest trade-off: consumers in Ireland can access authentic Italian PDO cheese, but at a greater geographic distance than consumers closer to the Po Valley.